(WXYZ) — Members of CrossPointe Community Church are still processing the attempted mass shooting that occurred during their worship service.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Jay Trombley, a member of the church's security team, stopped the shooter by fatally striking him Sunday morning.
"It was muscle memory to take care of the threat, to protect the family," Trombley said.
Those inside the church were first alerted by gunfire from the suspect.
"We heard what turned out to be 10 shots, it sounded like a jackhammer, so we heard that, everybody kinda paused in the church for a moment," Dustin Fuoco said.
Those brief moments of confusion quickly turned to chaos at CrossPointe Community Church when 31-year-old Brian Browning arrived armed with a pistol and semi-automatic rifle and fired on the church.
"I don't know if it's worse if it's a stranger who has no connection to the church and decides randomly to attack a church, or if it's worse if you know the person who does it. So, I have very mixed feelings," Pastor Bobby Kelly said.
Kelly says he and others tried to minister to Browning, whose mother was baptized at CrossPointe and occasionally attended worship services there.
"Initially, my thoughts are what could I have done differently, you know? Was there something that I missed? That's your initial thoughts, but I have to trust that the Lord allowed this to happen and protected us from it," Kelly said.
The pastor and members of the church believe divine providence protected the congregation in multiple ways. The church had decided months prior not to hold its worship service outside that day. Additionally, children attending Vacation Bible School were in the church sanctuary during the shooting when they would have been transitioning to the youth area of the building.
FULL INTERVIEW: Security guard Jay Trombley talks about stopping armed man
"They would've been walking through our lobby and would've been engaged by this suspect," Kelly said.
A deacon arriving late spotted Browning and hit him with his truck, slowing him down so the church safety team could respond.
"He fired some more into our building, by the grace of God, he missed me. He hit another person in the calf, and after that, I engaged him and took care of the threat," Trombley said.
Additional report: Church security team member speaks after stopping armed man at Wayne church service
Kelly has been in contact with Browning’s mother, extending his condolences, prayer, and support. “We just let her know not to feel as though we are angry with her, to feel guilty, these weren’t her actions, they were the actions of her son and just to let her know that we’re here to support her and that we love her as well and whatever she needed, to let us know,” Kelly said.
When asked why churches may need security, Kelly talked about the significance of CrossPointe’s mission and purpose of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ
“We’re called to spread the gospel, and we won’t stop doing that, and that’s gonna be offensive to people, but it’s actually the most loving thing we could ever do to anyone is share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and so churches do need to protect the people.”
